Route 101 enables Blackcircles to boost productivity

Route 101, technology systems integrator and cloud customer experience specialist, has helped Blackcircles, the UK’s leading online tyre retailer, increase contact centre productivity by 30% after consolidating multiple systems into a single Zendesk platform.

Established in 2001, Blackcircles operates a digital platform that enables customers to easily choose tyres, compare prices and book fitting appointments at a network of approved local garages. 

With agents handling order updates, appointment changes, stock adjustments, and customer queries across voice, email, and digital channels, the contact centre plays a critical role in maintaining the company’s high standards of customer service. 

Earlier Improvements

Route 101 has partnered with Blackcircles for more than five years, initially centralising email and ticketing within Zendesk to give agents a complete view of each customer interaction. A bespoke application automated manual tasks, such as confirming bookings and managing collections, while call routing was optimised to ensure enquiries reached the right team. Workforce management tools helped forecast demand and schedule agents efficiently, allowing managers to focus on coaching and strengthening the customer experience.

Recent Consolidation

As operations scaled, Blackcircles recognised an opportunity to simplify its technology ecosystem and gain greater operational visibility. Route 101 worked closely with the team to consolidate ticketing, voice, workforce management (WFM), quality assurance (QA), and omnichannel support into a single Zendesk platform. 

End-to-end support included technical configuration, real-time activity tracking, refreshed QA scorecards, and workforce scheduling processes. Specialist training ensured the team could fully adopt the new capabilities, while workshops and hands-on sessions provided continuity and confidence during the transition.

Impact and Results:

The move to a unified Zendesk ecosystem has significantly improved operational efficiency and visibility across the Blackcircles contact centre. Key outcomes include:

·         30% increase in productivity, despite operating with 15 fewer outsourced full-time equivalents (FTEs)

·         QA coverage increased from under 1% to 70% through the use of Auto QA

·         Scheduling time reduced from half a day to just 30 minutes

·         Instant time-off approvals, replacing a multi-step manual process

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have trusted anybody else to look at potential product changes while we were consolidating. Route 101 has been absolutely fantastic from the moment we came on board,” said Jamie, Customer Care Resource & Planning Manager at Blackcircles. “Every question or hurdle we had was met with a clear solution. The training experience from Route 101 was top class, and it gave us complete confidence throughout the project.”

With improved reporting, simplified workflows, and greater real-time insight into agent performance and customer demand, the Blackcircles team is now better equipped to manage seasonal fluctuations and maintain high service standards. 

“Working with Blackcircles over the years has been a true partnership,” said Russell Attwood, CEO at Route 101. “From introducing their team to industry events and best-practice sessions to supporting them through every stage of system consolidation, we’ve helped them adopt new tools with confidence and continue delivering excellent service to their customers.”